An Overview of Federal and State Whistleblower Protections

The protection of employee whistleblowers is a controversial and developing area within employment discrimination law. There is no comprehensive law which prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who disclose potential corporate or governmental violations of law, or practices which may violate environmental standards or threaten the health and safety of employees and the public. Instead, over the past twenty-five years there has been a steady growth in common law and specific statutory protections for employee whistleblowers. This article is an introduction to the major statutory and common law provisions which concern whistleblower protection. It is not intended to present a comprehensive analysis of all whistleblower laws. An attorney or employee should always carefully review any statutes, regulations, or laws which cover the area of his or her whistleblowing activities for additional implicit or explicit sources of protection